Imperial Islamic Society; Religious Affairs and Cultural Patronage (766-770)

Islamic empires had many different(CC) religious and ethically diverse populations.(HC)
Ottoman empire included large numbers of Christians and Jews in the Balkans, Armenia, Lebanon, and Egypt (CC)
Safavid empire had large Zoroastrian and Jewish communities and many Christians as well (CC)
The Mughal empire was mostly comprised of Hindus, but there were also many Muslims. Additionally, there were small communities of Jains, Zoroastrians, Christians, and devotees of syncretic faiths like Sikhism (CC)
Goa - center of a Christian mission in India, sought to attract converts to Christianity and establish schools that provide religious instruction.(HC)
1580 - Portuguese Jesuits went to Mughal court to try and convert the emperor(Akbar) to Christianity; Akbar kindly declined.(HC)
Akbar "lord of wisdom" (AE) supported early Sikhs(Hinduism and Islam combined in new faith)(HC).
Tried elaborating his own "devine faith", which emphasized loyalty to the emperor while borrowing ideas eclectically from different religions.(HC)
- Strictly monotheistic, and reflected the Shiite & Sufi teachings.(HC)

Painting of the emperor Akbar with various religious groups.(HC)

Islamic empires didn't required conquered peoples to convert, but moved them under the status of protected people.(dhimmi).(HC)
Dhimmi's also payed taxes, called jizya. In return, they kept personal freedom, property, practiced religion, and handled own affairs.(HC)
In the Ottoman empire, millet communities retained own civil laws, traditions, and languages. Also assumed social and administrative functions.(Birth, marriage, death, health, education.)(HC)
Akbar wanted to integrate Muslim and Hindu elites. He abolished the jizya, tolerated all faiths, and sponsored discussion and debates between different religions.(HC)
The Muslims were not popular with policies of religious tolerance, and were afraid of losing their religious identity.(HC)
They had Mughal rulers created an Islamic state based on Islamic laws.(HC)
When Aurangzeb reached the throne, the policy gained strength and soon he reinstated the jizya, and promoted Islam as the official faith of Mughal.
Tension between Hindu and Muslum communities arose.(HC end)

As the empires matured, the Islamic rulers sought to enhance their reputation through public works and patronage of scholars (AE)
Capital cities and royal palaces were the most visible expressions of imperial majestey. the ottomans beautified both bursa and edrine, but they took particular pride in istanbul. (EH)
At the core was the sultans residence with its harem, gardens, presure pavilions, and a repository for the most sacred possessions of the empire, including the mantle of the prophet Muhammad. (EH)
Shah Aabbas made his capital,Isfahan, into the queenpf persian cities and one of the most precious jewels of urban arcitectural development. (EH)
Fatehpur Sikri was a city plannedand constructed by Akbar that served as his capital from 1569 to 1585. (EH)
- Themost famous of the Mughal monuments was the Taj Mahal. Shah Jahan had twenty thousand workers toil for eighteen years to erect the exquisite white marble mosque and tomb.

Most Famous of Mughal Monuments: Taj Mahal

Suleymaniye Mosque(AE)